The use of park mode to extend the client set in the femto proxy architecture

摘要

Systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are described for handling of access terminals on an out-of-band piconet within a femto-proxy architecture. A femto-proxy system includes a femtocell (a femto access point, or FAP) and one or more out-of-band (OOB) proxies. One of the OOB proxies is configured to act as a master of an OOB piconet, through which various services are provided, including services to support the femtocell operation of the femto-proxy system. For example, the OOB piconet is used to facilitate lower power access to the macro communications services provided through the femtocell. In some cases, a combination of connected and inactive OOB operational modes are used to support an expanded number of slave access terminals on the piconet, where some of those slaves are operating in an active WWAN mode and others are operating in an idle WWAN mode. For example, parked mode may be used for idle WWAN mode access terminals.